Special tax regimes in taxing small and micro business activities: theoretical approaches and patent tax experience

Abstract

Tax regulation of small business and self-employed individuals implies a great responsibility on behalf of fiscal authorities in their efforts to increase tax compliance and contribute, at the same time, towards business expansion within this sector. There is a large variety of approaches to taxing small and micro-enterprises in foreign practice. At the same time, policies of taxing different segments of the SME population should be selected carefully. Also it is important to measure effects of tax incentives. One of measures used by governments to promote small business activities is implementation of special tax regimes for some of business segments, which are based on simple rules for determining tax liability, as well as easy accounting and administrative tools. This article relates some of the countries’ experience in designing simplified tax regimes based on entrepreneurial patent, including the Republic of Moldova. At the same time, there are emphasized disadvantages of the given regime in Moldova and related recommendations for a better fiscal policy.